June
2004 • The monthly newsletter for UWT faculty and staff
Julie Warden-Gregory: Student Speaker
Warden-Gregory,
who graduated with a master of arts degree in interdisciplinary
studies, was the first person in her family to attend college.
She was an active advocate for affordable tuition and the director
of legislative affairs for ASUWT. She was recently given a Gift
of Service Award for her contributions to the campus.
Christopher Bjornstad: President’s Medal
A
father of two and former Boeing machinist, Bjornstad was laid
off in 2001 and used a federal retraining grant to earn his associate’s
degree at Pierce College. He graduated summa cum laude with a
Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and has accepted a
position at Moss Adams.
Levi Larson: One day, two ceremonies
At
10 a.m. on June 11, Levi Larson graduated from UWT with a Bachelor
of Arts in interdisciplinary arts and sciences. Three hours later,
he received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine
Corps in a special ceremony outside the UW Tacoma library.
“My college degree and my commission go hand in hand, and I wanted to celebrate them both on the same day,” he said. “I’m excited to share both accomplishments with my family.”
Larson, 22, has already been accepted to the University of Washington Law School. His goal is to become a lawyer in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG).
Larson graduated from Pierce College and earned one of UWT’s Next Step scholarships, which pay full tuition and fees for two years. He joined the Marine Corps while at Pierce, following in the footsteps of his father and twin brother. He joined the Corps’ pre-law program after completing an internship at the State Senate.
“I realized that I wanted to serve my country while getting the most out of my education,” he said.
At
the commissioning ceremony Friday, a commanding officer administered
Larson’s oath of office and his parents pinned his bars
on his uniform.
Dr. Lon Annest: From surgeon to MBA
Dr. Lon Annest was a practicing heart surgeon when he began the MBA program at the Milgard School of Business, often coming to class in scrubs, straight from surgery.
Annest had to give up surgery after a hand injury during his second year in the program. A UWT class in entrepreneurship helped him change the course of his life. Now he is co-founder and medical director of a startup medical technology firm.
His final MBA project was on the adoption of beating-heart coronary bypass technology.
Laurie Hannan: Fulfilling a lifelong dream
For some people, a college degree is a stepping-stone to a better life. For Laurie Hannan, it’s the culmination of a dream 40 years in the making.
At
58, Hannan, operations and maintenance manager at the new Tacoma-Pierce
County Convention Center, doesn’t need her UWT degree to
get a promotion or seek a new job. Even so, she worked for nearly
13 years to earn it, a few classes at a time.
“A college degree was my dream from the time I was 18 years old,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to do it, and I’m so proud that I finally have.”
Hannan says life prevented her from attending college after high school. A single mom by her early 20s, Hannan found work as a pipe fitter to support her daughter. She held other skilled labor jobs, such as operating boilers at a women’s prison, and eventually became manager of the City of Tacoma’s power plant. As her career advanced, though, she began to regret never receiving the education she’d always hoped for.
“I’d always been inspired to go to school,” she said.
She finished her Associate of Arts degree in the 1970s and didn’t consider a bachelor’s degree for nearly 20 years. But in 1991, she enrolled in the new University of Washington, Tacoma, and began taking classes in the old downtown Perkins building.
At the beginning, she took a few classes here and there and even left the University for years at a time. This year, she enrolled in 10 credits each quarter to finish her Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences degree.
“This wasn’t about enhancing my career,” she said. “I have a great career. This was about a commitment I made to myself.”
Hannan has considered returning to UWT after she retires. She’s interested in studying history at the graduate level and would like to join the Peace Corps.
“I love learning,” she said. “It can be difficult, but I enjoy the challenge.”
